Deep Sea Mining: exploring the unknowns

Seas At Risk, in partnership with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, hosted a multi-stakeholder event in Brussels on 26 April 2016 to explore the present status and future of deep sea mining. Some 70 participants from industry, government, European institutions and the scientific community came together for a lively debate around the need for deep sea mining, the current technological and regulatory state of play, and the knowledge gaps that prevent us from understanding the full potential impacts of this industry. MIDAS was well represented at the meeting, with presentations given by Phil Weaver (Seascape),  Sybille van den Hove (Median), Matthew Gianni (DSCC), David Billett (DSES) and Robert van de Ketterij (IHC).

The event signifies the highest level meeting of stakeholders at the EU level yet on the topic of deep sea mining, confirming the interest of a broad cross-section of stakeholders in connecting around this topic and exposing the gaps in knowledge that need to be bridged. It further demonstrated the speed at which technology and industry are progressing towards actual mining activities, even while the International Seabed Authority is in the process of developing exploitation regulations.

For further details about the meeting please visit the Seas at Risk webpage.  A meeting report will be available in due course.